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RICOH WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN

July 27, 2010

SOUTHPORT, ENGLAND

THE MODERATOR: We have two members of the local golf club here today. Nearest to me is Kelly Tidy, who recently won the Ladies British Open Amateur championship at Ganton. Qualifies for the tournament that way. The far side is Florentyna Parker, who won in Holland on the LET Tour, the ABN Amro Ladies Open in Holland.
Can I start by asking how it feels to have such a large tournament on your own golf course?
FLORENTYNA PARKER: Well, when I heard that it was being played at Birkdale, I said, okay, that's my, that's my aim to be playing on my home club. Such a big event. And I'm really happy that I am able to play here. And it's amazing. I mean, the people you meet again, because obviously I live in Germany. I'm not here very often. And it's a great feeling to be back and to play the biggest event that I played in the year.
KELLY TIDY: It's great for me, obviously, as well. Home support. My family are able to come, with living only an hour away, and just being able to be around the atmosphere, first professional event playing in as well, and at my home course, it just feels a lot more comfortable being able to know the course, know where I'm going.
THE MODERATOR: That was actually my next question. How much support do you recon you'll have this week?
KELLY TIDY: I think that there will be a lot. I know I had phone calls and my family saying we're coming to watch; what are your tee times? And I think it's going to be -- it's going to be a big gallery maybe on the first tee on Thursday morning.
THE MODERATOR: Florentyna, probably there will be slightly less in your case, or do you expect lots of family and friends here as well?
FLORENTYNA PARKER: I've got a few family members here already. And I suppose there will be quite a few people watching. I have a good flight. Good draw.
THE MODERATOR: If you two were going to advise the rest of the field -- you probably don't want to -- but if you were to advise the rest of the field how to play this course, what would you suggest?
FLORENTYNA PARKER: I would say to stay out of the bunkers.
KELLY TIDY: I'd say the same thing, keep the ball into the wind, if it's going to be windy.
THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Florentyna, you've got an excellent draw tomorrow with the defending champion Catriona Matthew and Paula Creamer, who just won the U.S. Women's Open. What do you think about playing with those two players?
FLORENTYNA PARKER: I just found out now. I think it's great. I love playing with obviously better players. And I think you can learn a lot. And I'm really, really happy with the draw. I'm looking forward to it.

Q. Same question for Kelly, you're playing with Karen Stupples and Sherri Steinhauer, both former champions.
KELLY TIDY: That's right. That will be a great experience to almost compare my game to the professional game and see how far away I am from almost being able to play on the professional tour.

Q. How long have you been a member here, Kelly?
KELLY TIDY: Five years.

Q. Whereabouts exactly do you live?
KELLY TIDY: I live in Bolton, about 38 miles from here. Takes an hour. I get over like three times a week to practice here because I'm no longer studying anymore.

Q. What are your future plans from here?
KELLY TIDY: I turn professional maybe next year to just see how things go in this tournament, really.

Q. Do you have any brothers or sisters that play?
KELLY TIDY: Not play, but I have a younger brother. He's an artist. Nothing like me at all.

Q. Are your parents good golfers?
KELLY TIDY: My dad used to play golf. He doesn't anymore. And my dad's parents also play golf. That's how I started the game, through my dad.

Q. Florentyna, you're staying with your grandparents this week. And your grandfather, was he a pro?
FLORENTYNA PARKER: No.

Q. Could you explain about the family?
FLORENTYNA PARKER: The family on my mother's side of the family where I'm staying this week, they're not golfers at all. My father's side of the family, they were all the golf professionals.

Q. Can you tell me about how you joined up with your caddie, Pete Coleman, this week?
FLORENTYNA PARKER: Yes. I'm with ISM, and Chubby Chandler obviously has great connections with the best caddies, and he got me Pete Coleman this week. He knows the course very well. Obviously he was Bernard Langer's caddie for 22 years and got a lot of experience. I hope it will help me this week, and we play well.

Q. Florentyna, obviously an early start on Thursday. So how is that going to affect your preparations?
FLORENTYNA PARKER: Well, I had a few early starts last week at the Evian. Got used to that now. Tomorrow I'm going to play nine holes. I'm going to play the front nine. I played the back nine yesterday. The Pro-Am today.
I'm going to take it easy tomorrow and practice short game, a bit on the range, and just get ready. I mean, all the players are ready. We just need to do some -- practice a bit, get settled in and have an early night.

Q. Can you give us an idea what your morning will be like that first morning, presuming the alarm clock is going to go a bit earlier than you'd like?
FLORENTYNA PARKER: I suppose it will. And I don't know. I'm not exactly sure what time I'm playing. What is it, quarter past 7:00? I'll probably like to be on the range by 6:00, have breakfast before and hit some shots, do some chipping and finish off with putting and work on hitting.

Q. Does it become difficult just eating right at that kind of time of day and that kind of thing?
FLORENTYNA PARKER: No. We get used to it. We always have one early time. I think everyone's used to it. And I don't mind.

Q. Obviously as you mentioned, you don't get back to Birkdale too often. What major changes have there been over the last few years here?
FLORENTYNA PARKER: Yeah, great changes. Makes it more difficult for us. But the same for everyone. And the course is in great condition. It's probably great that it's rained the last few weeks here. So it's not as burned as it was. And the course is very well prepared. So hopefully we are as well.

Q. Kelly, practice rounds, you've got some big names alongside you for your practice rounds. Are you looking to learn off them or are they going to learn off you from the course?
KELLY TIDY: I don't know. I was playing nine holes yesterday afternoon and I found myself surrounded by a couple of caddies asking a few tips.
They found out that I've been playing here for five years, decided to ask for a few lines off the tee and things. So I'm not sure. Maybe they'll be wondering tomorrow.
But it will be great to play with them girls, number one in the world, Cristie Kerr, that will be good. And just staying alongside. And hopefully the atmosphere, there will be a bit of a crowd tomorrow.

Q. Does it feel different coming into a major, Florentyna, rather than the week-to-week tournaments?
FLORENTYNA PARKER: Obviously it's different. I played the Open last year, and that was a great experience for me. And last week we obviously had the Evian Masters, which is a very big tournament. We got used to it. Two very big tournaments behind each of us. So I think we're ready.

Q. Kelly, you played in the Curtis Cup, did you not?
KELLY TIDY: I didn't play the Curtis Cup. I played the Junior Ryder Cup and the Junior Solheim Cup.

Q. So what's sort of holding you back from turning professional right away? I thought if you weren't pro by the time you were 15 these days, it was a bit late.
KELLY TIDY: I just turned 18 this year. I just left college, wanted to get a year of full amateur golf without being tied back by college and not being able to enter every tournament. And just sort of get a good run and then hopefully turn professional at the end of that.

Q. So what were you studying at college?
KELLY TIDY: I have an international diploma in sports.

Q. Does that cover things like sort of --
KELLY TIDY: Psychology, sports, massage, sports therapy, everything, coaching, every aspect of the sports environment.

Q. Did you qualify? Did you finish --
KELLY TIDY: I finished with straight distinctions plus it was the highest achievement they've actually ever had in the college.

End of FastScripts

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